Debate - Eradicating Child Poverty, the Scottish Government’s Defining Mission - 03 September 2026

Our next item of business is a debate on motion 1022 in the name of Shirley and Somerville on program for government eradicating child poverty the Scottish government's defining mission. Members wishing to speak in the debate should press the request to speak buttons now and I'll call cabinet secretary Shirley Anvil to speak and move the motion 12 minutes please. Uh, thank you very much, presiding officer, and I move the motion in my name, presiding officer. There are few things more important than ensuring that every child grows up loved, safe, and respected, and able to reach their full potential. And that is why, despite the significant challenges we continue to face, eradicating child poverty is a defining mission and number one priority of this government. Coupled with targets we have set in statute, we are determined to deliver. The program for government published earlier this week makes clear our commitment to go further so that children and families can reach their full potential. Presiding officer, we are building on firm foundations and solid progress delivered since 2017. In March, I was pleased to publish this government's third tackling child poverty delivery plan, which set out how we will continue to drive progress on child poverty in the years ahead. They set out wide reading action spanning government portfolios and delivered with partners across the country to help boost household incomes, reduce the cost of living, and to help children and their families to thrive. Modeling published alongside the plan estimate that these actions will keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty this year. The Institute for Physical Studies have also recognized the difference that we are making. They estimate that some of the lowest income households with children will be around £2760 a year better off because of our approach to income tax and benefits, including the Scottish child payment. Now, our program for government builds on those actions, setting out our commitments for the coming year and our ambitions for this parliament. Members across the chamber will have heard loud and clear from their constituents the impact that the cost of living crisis is having on their lives. Concerns which will only grow with the increase to the energy price cap announced last week with bills already £300 higher than when the UK government came into office despite their pledge to actually cut them by the same amount. Now, we have all heard how the rising cost of essentials such as food and energy mean that people in our communities are having to make decisions that they never should have to make. And that is why tackling this crisis is at the forefront of our efforts. Bringing together our action to eradicate child poverty, to grow the economy, and to tackle the climate emergency. This year, we are continuing to invest more than 3.5 billion pound in measures that will help cut costs for households and boost their incomes. This includes continuing to deliver free prescriptions, free bus travel for more than 2.4 million people, freezing fairs on Scot Rail services, and investing in our package of winter heating payments, which are helping thousands of households struggling the most to struggling the most to meet their energy bills. Now, this sits alongside our wider investment in social security, including our five family payments, which are providing unparalleled support to low-income families in Scotland when compared to the rest of the UK, helping them to meet the costs of essentials and giving their children the best start in life. Together, our policies form the most generous cost of living package in the UK. But we know we need to go further. That's why our program for government commits to protecting and expanding support over the life of this parliament to ensure more people get the help that they need. And we're taking meaningful steps this year to do just that. We will deliver a two pound bus fair cap across the Strathclide Partnership for Transport area from Monday, cutting the cost of bus travel for thousands of households and building towards a national roll out by the end of this parliament. We will consult in legislation to establish legal price ceilings on some essential food items to tackle the cost of the weekly shop and we'll make nearly 2.8 million pound available to local authorities to write off school meal debt for families impacted by the cost of living crisis. This is in addition to our new welcome to school bags and also the increased funding for the school clothing grant. Together with these steps we're taking to develop the systems and legislation needed to increase the Scottish child payment to £40 for families with a child under the age of one. This action will help further ease the burden of everyday costs on families. And while we cannot accept the green amendment today, I do want to specifically talk about the premise that women's poverty is children's poverty. And it's an exceptionally important point that we need to recognize. And I also think it's very important that we recognize, particularly given the discussions at first minister's question time today, that women's inequality is also one of the root causes of violence against women in our society and it must also be tackled. >> Presiding officer, our program for government includes a clear and unambiguous statement on our intention to end homelessness in Scotland for good and for everyone and the importance of housing in the fight against poverty. We will do all we can over this parliament to give everyone access to a safe, warm place to call home and helping people off the streets, ending the use of unsafe and harmful temporary accommodation for children. We've already launched our new first homes fund and have committed record levels of public sector investment in our affordable housing supply program which we will support through that the delivery of 36,000 affordable homes and provide up to 24,000 children with a place to call home in the life of this parliament. And we set out how we'll go further. We're implementing our new homelessness prevention duties that will ensure people get the help they need before they reach crisis point. That is public service reform in action. We will roll out the 50 >> certainly >> Willie Remy. >> I'm sure most in the chamber would commend the government for trying in many of these areas and including tackling the problems which is effectively a failed system. But surely this isn't a long-term solution. I've not heard the minister talk about growing the economy and creating jobs and the value of good work. Surely that is the long-term solution to all of these failures. We can't keep on patching up the system. We need to build a long-term solution to it. So, is she going to tell us more about that in the remainder of our contribution? >> Cabinet Secretary. Well, I I I think Willy Reni and I will be in um agreement about this point actually presiding officer um if I can expand on my remarks today because while it is important that the government assists households, particularly those with children through the social security systems, it is exceptionally important to ensure that we're there to support people into work. That's exactly why the delivery plan and the pro program for government talked about the rise initiative that's coming through through colleges getting skills child care to work together. It's exactly why whole family support is important and that's exactly why the multi-year support that we have for our employability schemes is integral to this. It's not about looking at one part of the issue. It's looking to see if the member will give me one more second. It's about looking to see about what that individual needs and how we can best support them. Whether it's child care, whether it's transport, or whether it's employability and skills. I'll give way to the member. >> Duncan, >> thank you very much for giving way. Minister, would you recognize the whole family support money gave out 20 million pounds very recently in this issue, but they're meant to spend that by March next year. That doesn't enable planning. It doesn't enable long-term certainty for the agencies that are getting it. And therefore, a lot of it's fritted away or has to be manipulated. They need fiveyear uh stability of funding to third sector organizations that going to use it. >> Cabinet Secretary, >> that's exactly why that 20 million pound fund is a multi-year commitment that we've made because I recognize the point that the member makes. Presiding officer, we will roll out our 50 million pound homelessness prevention fund with 1 million pound already provided to strengthen tenency sustainment activity by registered social landlords in Glasgow. We will continue to support an estimated 15,000 families impacted by the UK government's freeze to local housing allowance rates, supporting families to meet the costs of their rent and helping prevent homelessness. And we will phase in the establishment of More Home Scotland from the 1st of April next year to bring together funding, expertise, and delivery tools under one roof to help deliver more of the homes that people need. Together, action we will take across this parliament will increase the supply of social and affordable homes in the places they are needed. helping to tackle child poverty, to support sustainable communities, and to drive economic growth. >> I'm just about to get to the skills and employment part that Willie Renie is so keen to hear about, but I'll give way to Thomas K. >> Thomas K. >> I appreciate that, Cabinet Secretary. It's on the homelessness part. You'll be glad to hear. I wonder if you agree with me and the SNP counselor, soon to be leader of Glasgow City Council, Ricky Bell, who mentioned local priority in BBC Radio Scotland this morning and asked for it to be reinstated. Cabinet Secretary. >> Uh, Prime Minister, I have known Ricky Bell for many, many a year and it would be fair to say I think there's not much that we can find that Ricky Bell and Thomas K have in common because what Ricky Bell is interested in is actually helping the people of Glasgow and ensuring they have a sustainable future. It's unfortunate that Mr. K is more interested in causing division in Glasgow and elsewhere. Presiding officer, ensuring that people have access to the skills and opportunities they need to succeed is also key to eradicating child poverty. Across this parliament, we'll fund at least 150,000 apprenticeships. We will create new schemes to support disabled people into work. And we will provide national coordination of a skills and employability program that delivers locally to meet people's needs. Our commitment to invest up to 90 million pound a year in devolved employability services. Again, another multi-year commitment which includes dedicated funding to support parents access and progress in work and it will build on the 22 million pound of funding delivered this year in partnership with Scotland's colleges which I mentioned to Mr. Renie earlier on. Our action will help not only increase household incomes from employment but also to help support economic growth by helping businesses access the skilled workforces that they need. Our approach to increasing earnings is also underpinned by our commitment to transforming the child care offer for families by the end of this parliament. Providing support 52 weeks a year for children 9 months old to the end of primary school. Our program for government sets out the key steps we will take to make our ambition a reality. Now, this includes continuing to fund a range of targeted child care support for low-income families, including our extra time program and our childare early adopter communities, supporting over 7,000 children and their families. It includes investing an additional 15 million pound this year to expand breakfast club provision to help schools, councils, and the third sector partners prepare for the introduction of a national breakfast club offer in all primary schools by August 2027. and from August 2029 providing an afterchool and holiday care child after school and holiday child care offer which will reduce the cost of child care at times which we know cause families the most challenge in the coming year we'll publish and consult on a blueprint setting out this phase delivery with a focus on what matters to families presiding officer we also know that ending child poverty will never be about income alone people's lives are complex and public services can play a key role in helping helping to prevent poverty and supporting people out of crisis. Across the life of this parliament, we will work with our local partners to deliver on our vision of full family support, ensuring people get the right support at the right time and place for as long as they need it. The work we've already undertaken through fairer future partnerships has shown what a difference this approach can make when we work together. And I'm pleased that since returning to government in May, we've already delivered further progress. We've awarded 2 million pound to support the expansion of Children First National Front Door Support Line, offering a one-step gateway to support families across Scotland. And we've awarded 10 charities a share of 20 million pound from our whole family support third sector delivery fund with charities involved estimating that they will be able to assist to 35,000 families. Last month, I was pleased to speak with families supported by the Mound Room Center in Dundee, who made clear to me the difference that services like that can really make to their lives. And we'll continue to build on this progress by maximizing opportunities for lawful data sharing and by co-designing a partnership agreement with the third sector that recognizes their critical role in tackling child poverty. This is again public service reform in action focused on enabling local partners to bring support together and making services work for the people. Zen officer in closing this program for government is published this week to set out our ambitions for Scotland over the next 5 years. It is unashameably setting out our commitment to ensuring families have access to the safe, warm and affordable homes they need to thrive to deliver transformational expansion of child care and also deliver on our vision for whole family support. These actions will help to change the lives of children and families across the country and will drive continued progress towards the eradication of child poverty. In June, I announced a review of our child poverty targets to further strengthen our approach, ensuring that the targets we have continue to drive the right decisions and the changes that family needs. Our approach is underpinned by our commitment to rewire the state in Scotland to deliver public service reform that is focused on improving our public services so that they work for the people of Scotland. In 2017, the members of this chamber unanimously agreed legislation towards the eradication of child poverty. Now, while the members and some of the parties in this chamber have changed, I really do f hope that our focus on child poverty has not. And I move the motion in my name. Thank you. >> Thank you. H I call Julie McDougall to speak to and move amendment 1022.5. 7 minutes, please. >> Thank you. uh deputy preciding officer. I would like to first uh firstly thank the minister for bringing forward this really important debate today. I think it's also important to state from the offset that we here at the reform benches believe that more Scots should be able to feel like they can start families in the face of Scotland's demographic crisis. Our young people should be encouraged to start families and raise our next generation of workers as opposed to the import first policy shared by the rest of the parties here. I want to focus on two major factors which can have a massive impact on a child's life chances and family life. The economic opportunities available to their parents and access to housing. The Joseph Roundtree Foundation in their 2025 report found that all lower income families regardless of size all experience steep declines in their quality of life. What was particularly concerning to read was that the rate of what they called in work poverty increased to six in 10 people with three quarters of children who classify as being in poverty falling into this category. While I commend the S SNP government for finally t talking about employment as a means of addressing child poverty, it seems to once again take a backseat in this program for government. When reading the section on put in more money in famil family's pockets, I noticed that out of the five bullet point policies presented, only one of them talked about low-income parents staying in jobs. And this is simply not good enough. It was especially disappointing to see that one of the following policy encourages, and I quote, maximum take up of benefits. I echo the sentiments of my party leader Malcolm offered on Tuesday. Meaningful and well- paid work should always be more financially and emotionally rewarding than taking on benefits for those who are able and fit to do so. But to do that, the S SNP need to actually support our local businesses and industries to start creating better paying jobs. This would mean overriding the nearly 20 years of net zero ideology and overbearing business regulations pursued by this government, both of which have been proudly paraded in this latest document. Even when talking about skilled jobs, these so-called new ideas seem to fall flat when it is this S SNP government proposing them. For over a decade now, instead of encouraging young people to celebrate success in any field, the SMP have indulged themselves in the same kind of snobby snobbyish as the old blitrites. It's a closed mindset that says going to university is inherently more valuable and means that you're more educated than someone who picks up tools, gets a technical qualification. I'd like to make some progress with my speech. Thank you. >> I'd like to make some progress. As I said, that means more that means uh you are more educated than someone who picks up tools, gets a technical qualification in college or simply learns better on the job. If that if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to continue with my speech and then I'll come back to you. >> I'm members. Can we hear the member who has please? >> I think I'm I think I'm allowed to make way on my speech. Is that correct, Deputy First Minister? Thank you. If that weren't the case, the Scottish government wouldn't have been sleepwalking into a national skills gap crisis for the past 10 years and our colleges would have been given the support and respect they so rightly deserve. I want to again remind the chamber of the question that I asked John Swinny before summer recess. I asked if he would look into reforming the funding mechanisms for apprenticeships to sustainably create the many placements this program for government hopes to create. At the time, I was given a backhanded response. But this program for government gives me my real answer. They don't have a plan. They don't have a clue. And they don't want to listen to the colleges that are on the brink of financial collapse. I want to try and wind up by talking about the difficulties families and children face with housing. >> Members council personally witness too many and >> I'd like to be able to speak if that's okay. Deputy presiding officer. Thank you. >> I want to try and wind up by talking about the difficulties families and children's face with housing. After all, I thought what that's what we're here to do today. As a f counselor, I personally witnessed too many cases I'll wait till you're finished and then I'll continue. Thank you. >> Members, members, we have the difficulty to get children's face as I say with housing. >> As a f counselor, I personally witnessed too many cases of families being crammed into housing which is way too small for their needs. At one time, social housing used to be a safety net for those families who fell on hard times. It now works like a lottery where you might be put in for a ticket, but there's little chance of actually winning. We in reform have said from the start that we don't just need more housing, but we need to make sure that social housing prioritizes locals, especially children who are in most need. Once again, I can only say that anything resembling a good idea and of on this within the program for government lacks both detail and credibility proposed by John Swinny. With some help from the Greens and others, the S&P have created probably the most hostile regulatory landscape when it comes to building homes in Scotland. It has meant it has meant homes being more expensive for developers to build, making them more expensive to sell and making them therefore less available to low-income families. Once again, the government seems to think that creating more bureic institutions, drafting more laws, and throwing more of our constituents money at this problem will make it go away. It's simply not good enough. There are real lives at stake and too many children, particularly those in social care situations, who will struggle for the rest of their lives due to nearly 20 years of spin, peace meal fixes, and corporate bulletpoint policies disguised as any kind of real leadership. This program for government was not indicative of a fresh, innovative administration. It proves to me more than ever that this government is desperate for ideas, but not so desperate that they will listen to the people on the ground who may contradict them. I was elected to reflect the views of those people who have been ignored for far too long and it is on that basis that I cannot support this program for government. I therefore move the amendment in my name. Thank you. Can I remind the chamber it's up to the member who is speaking whether or not they wish to take an intervention and I call Mark Griffin uh five minutes please. >> Thank you presiding officer. I move the amendment in my name. When parliament passed the chair poverty act in 2017, the cabinet secretary leading that legislation, an Angela Constance told this chamber, "Statements of intent are all very well, but it's what we do that counts. I completely agree." Nearly a decade later, intent, I fear, still lies, far from delivery when it comes to child poverty. And it's Scotland's children who continue to pay that price. Children are going to school hungry despite their parents skipping meals. They're worried about rent, bills, whether the family can keep a roof over their head. And those are the kinds of worries that should be the furthest thing from children's minds. They should be dreaming big. Think about what they can achieve in life rather than those concerns. But it's a real worry that child poverty has become a generational tragedy. Um, too often children born into poverty grow up to raise their own children in poverty despite having the powers to take a a different path. We are we are still failing far too many young people. And the government comes to the chamber at the start of this new parliamentary term saying once again that eradicating child poverty is its defining mission. But it seems that instead of um a credible plan to meet its own legislative targets, it seems to be settling for moving the goalposts. Reviewing the definition of poverty will not lift a single child out of it. The Child Poverty Act was meant to hold ministers accountable for progress, but organizations like the Joseph Roundry Foundation have questioned whether the latest delivery plan meets the requirement of the act and only 26% of people in Scotland believe that the government has done enough to tackle child poverty. Ministers have argued that incomebased targets fail to capture the impact of child care, employability, support, and wider family services. But I think the problem isn't that these policies are missing from the targets. It's not, it's that they have not been delivered at the scale that we require. And for me, nowhere is that as clear as it is in housing. Today almost 10,000 children are living in temporary accommodation without the stability and security of a a permanent home. And absolutely no government in the world can claim credibly um child poverty is a defining mission while record numbers of children remain trapped in temporary accommodation. Housing policy is child poverty policy. offending child poverty is truly the mission. Getting those children, those 10,000 children into a permanent home should be the priority. Now, Labor has set out practical measures to reduce poverty. Helping parents and to secure employment through a parent work scheme. Affordable child care that works for families. Support with holiday child care costs. Family network hubs based on sure start principles. Breakfast clubs in every primary school. Action on school debt and a renewed focus on tackling homelessness. Now there are clearly welcome crossover areas in the government program um for program for government this week. We welcome them. We'll be happy to support them. But we would like to work to push the government further on some of those measures I just mentioned because those are anti-poverty policies because they help parents earn more, reduce costs and improve children's life chances. Yep. Certainly. Well, >> one Thank you for signing off. So, one area that um I think Mr. Griffin as well as Labour colleagues have described as gamechanging has been the Scottish government's uh Scottish child payment. Um, and that has undoubtedly uh supported us in reducing child poverty here in Scotland. Clearly, if the UK government were to replicate it, that would also have a significant impact. Why has his UK colleagues not sought to follow suit? >> Mark Hearly has had an impact, but what I would say it still hasn't had enough of an an impact. The government are still on course to m to miss their legally binding child poverty targets. that is still an issue. The UK government has taken forward a range of poverty reduction measures including something that we have both campaigned for and that is the removal of the two child limit. That will be the biggest single measure to lift children out of poverty in the UK since um before the the early 1990s and there is still further work to do. That is an area where um Scotland have done something differently but that is the beauty of the evolution. Social Security is devolved to Scotland and um that is something that that is to be welcomed but it's not to say that there is nothing happening at a UK level that that is work that is ongoing because we are seeing work um at a UK level um the government's work on child poverty um bringing together housing employment childare and family support in a completely crossgovernmental um way and because reducing child poverty has never been just about um social security. And I know Mr. Greywood um acknowledge that as well. It's about secure homes. It's about affordable child care. It's about um well- paid work. It's about using absolutely every lever at our disposal to tackle um child poverty to improve family incomes and opportunities. So I think um while the the ch the Scottish child came payment has been something that we campaigned for here before its introduction and has been something that lifted children out of poverty, there is more to be done across a wider scale of government intervention to lift children out of poverty. >> May I ask the mover to the um speaker to come to a conclusion but also ask Mark Griffin to move amendment 1022.1 for the record. You know, I think I moved it in open and presiding officer, but I'll move it I'll move it again. Um, but presiding officer, I'll finish then on on this um with a question to to government and does the government still intend to meet the child's poverty targets set out in the act because reviewing the targets will not pull one single child out of poverty. Delivering on them actually will. I call Holly Bruce to speak to and move amendment 1022.2. Six minutes, please. >> Thank you, presiding officer. Sorry, I'm sorting my There we are. Um, six years ago, the Scottish government declared a climate emergency. Two years ago, it declared a housing emergency. And as we heard earlier in June, Scotland remains in a child poverty emergency. And the cabinet secretary has laid out her plans on how she plans to eradicate child poverty in the years ahead. This is no small feat and I commend her dedication and holistic view on how we tackle child poverty in this country, namely through whole family support, child care and cost of living measures. And I also welcome her agreement with part of our amendment which connects child poverty with women's poverty. And I look forward to working with her on that front. But today, I'm I'm calling on her to be braver and bolder and to ra rise to the challenge of increasing the Scottish child payment progressively over the course of this parliament to all children under the age of 16. And for those parents under 25 who are so cruy impacted by the UK government's young parent penalty, we should be looking at a top up to ensure their entitlement is the same as older parents. In this increasingly posttruth world, I invite us to look at the evidence on child poverty. This week, I brought the Child Poverty Action Group to Parliament, who together with the End Child Poverty Coalition of over 150 organizations have been calling on the Scottish government to increase the Scottish child payment progressively over the course of this parliament. These organizations work with children and families day in and day out. They are the experts who hold that very real, horrible and traumatic lived experience of children in poverty. We owe them a great deal for the work they do. And I want to thank all of them. They came to this parliament to witness me asking the first minister the same question. If this government really wants to tackle child poverty headon, will he increase the Scottish child payment? And the answer was only a wee bit and only to one very specific targeted group. In the program for government, it contends that child poverty is a defining challenge for this government. Yet, according to their own analysis, the government is set to miss their 2030 targets if we do not radically rethink what it means to live in poverty. As a working-class person standing in this chamber, I don't know what it's like to live in relative or absolute poverty. I understand many other hurdles that come with being workingass, but never have I ever had to think about whether I will eat today. So, it's crucial for me to recognize, understand, and advocate for these 150 organizations, experts, families, constituents, and children, or I'm not doing my job properly. To continue with the evidence, the Institute for Public Policy Research, IPR, tells us hard cash money, this kind of direct financial relief is the best way to tackle poverty directly and quickly. It has successfully cut, the Scottish child payment has successfully cut child poverty in Scotland by four to five percentage points. If I was the Scottish government, I would be channeling all my efforts into this tried and tested model, not to completely reinvent the wheel. And as I've already referenced, I agree that we need to look at a holistic look at child poverty, as many others have mentioned in the debate already today, but if we want to make a real difference right now, we must do this. We must increase the Scottish al payment. And another main stumbling block I hear is money. How are we going to fund this? And yes, this will cost money. And yes, we all need to think creatively about how we fund initiatives in these financially precarious times. But isn't this what we're here to do? To grapple with complex problems, to deal with the hard stuff, and to solve it. The cost of increasing the Scottish child payment to4 of Scotland's impoverished children will cost £180 million. And that is in in writing. The Joseph Rentry Foundation have done the costings. And whilst we give tax relief to arms companies, private jet polluters, as we heard yesterday, private schools and big banks, we could be channeling this money into this country's most vulnerable children. How can we possibly justify that? This is an investment in our young people so they can thrive. so they can have children who have children who have children who have children who don't need a Scottish child payment. This is an investment in our young people today and for the generation tomorrow. This is preventative spend. I've heard arguments that this is a sticking plaster and I agree. Yeah, I I don't want to see the Scottish child payment here today. But we need to do something right now and quickly, not only to meet the targets, but for all the children in this country that need it the most. And I'm going to preempt the growing right now, but I truly believe if we had full powers of a normal independent country, we'd do welfare policy a lot differently. And unlike the Conservatives whose leader is downsized today, putting the two child benefit cap into our spending plans, we would do things differently here. What we have right now is far too many children in deep, deep poverty. That's the top line. And I see a tried and tested model of a way out for those families. Why don't we use it? I move the amendment in my name. I call Marvin May McCallum to speak to and move amendment 1022.4 up to four minutes. >> Thank you, presiding officer. I'd like to highlight before I begin that I'm a counselor for in Highland Council. I'm keen to approach this session of parliament by looking for ways to agree and to work together wherever possible. And I'm glad that one of those areas that we agree on is around child poverty and the need to eradicate it. I commend the amount of money the government is spending on doing so, but money alone is not going to overcome this challenge. The issue runs more deeper than that. Around half of all children in Highland live in areas where some of the most limited access to essential services in Scotland. The direction we need to take needs to encompass all of Scotland's children and our policies need to be flexible enough to match the unique challenges faced in different parts of the country. For example, the government's motion talks about transforming child care in Scotland, which is excellent. Good provision of child care helps parents get back into work, which is the best way to lift children out of poverty. So we need to make this easier, more affordable, and more accessible to people up and down the country. Unfortunately, no matter how much we reduce the child care bill for parents, we are not addressing the core issue of provision. There simply aren't enough child care spaces available in Scotland, particularly up in the Highlands. Over the summer, I visited the local job center in Inesse and I heard about the amazing work that the staff are doing to encourage people to get back into work. Astonishingly, they told me that they have a pot of money set aside to pay for up to 80% of child care costs for some of those who are seeking employment. But that money just sits there unused because people cannot find child care provision. That is why over two-fifths of rural businesses are citing child care issues as one of the main reasons they are struggling to recruit. So our amendment calls on the Scottish government to improve access to child care in rural communities. The government's motion also talks about delivering a two pound bus fair across all of Scotland which will make a huge difference but only if there are buses for people to go on. Transform Scotland states it clearly. We should not confuse affordability with availability. >> Take the under22 bus pass, an example of a good policy that should in principle help young parents get into education or employment. However, Highland Council's own analysis concluded that the policy's uptake was far greater in more densely populated areas compared to rural communities. Why? because the availability of the bus services. These are good well-meaning policies, but the moment at sorry at the moment they are not getting to those who need them the most. Presiding officer, the program for government is titled ambitious for Scotland. I share that ambition. I want to see it succeed and I want to eradicate child poverty and I am keen to work with the government to do just that. which is why I hope the government will be able to accept my amendment which I move in my name. Thank you. >> James Adams up to five minutes. >> Thank you deputy presiding officer. I would just like to note my interest that I am a local counselor up in Aberine. Uh there will be no disagreement in this chamber that eradicating child poverty is an incredibly important task for any government. Unfortunately, child poverty remains a persistent challenge in Scotland, and in my opinion, the S&P have failed to meanly reduce it since coming into power. Instead of fully using the powers available to tackle poverty, the S&P have too often chosen to shift blame rather than take the responsibility for policy fav failures and financial mismanagement. After almost two decades in government, the SMP must have be judged in his record, not in his rhetoric. The Scottish Conservatives recognize on that point. >> Of course, >> Lloyd Melville. >> I thank him for that and I'm more than happy to provide the record of the S&P government, which is the lowest levels of child poverty anywhere on these islands. Does he accept that? >> James Adams. >> Thank you uh for your intervention. Uh but will you please admit the child poverty still remains unacceptably high in Scotland? It's irrelevant if it's the lowest in the UK. It is still unacceptably high in Scotland. And that here is the issue. >> Yeah. >> But in this parliament, >> but in this parliament, >> I'm currently sitting in standing in Edinburgh, not London. >> Yes. >> What's the truth? It is the truth. >> Westminster. >> That is the truth. >> Have a debate in Westminster. Well, look, after years of missed targets by the S&P and rising welfare cost, we will continue to hold the S&P to account and to demand a credible plan to tackle poverty. >> Yes, of course. >> Patricia Gibson, >> the gentleman says that it's irrelevant whether or not Scotland's got the lowest child poverty in the UK. Um, he says he's not concerned about whether it's lower than anywhere else. So, is this an argument for more powers for Scotland to do even more to lower child poverty? >> James Adams, and I would remind the member to speak through the chair. >> Thank you. If the S&P were to focus on Scotland instead of focusing on what's going elsewhere in the UK, we'll be in a much better situation. >> Absolutely. >> You know, every child in Scotland deserves the chance to grow up safe, supported, and able to fulfill their potential, no matter their background or their postcode. But if we're serious about changing lives, we must be honest about what's gone wrong, what has not been delivered, and what now needs to change. This government motion talks about the ambition progress in going further and faster. But the reality is the S&P has already missed it statutory interim child poverty target with child poverty remaining at 22% rather than falling below 18. More than 200,000 children are living in relative poverty. Sorry. Yes, >> Cla Hay. >> I thank I thank the member for taking an intervention. Does he um have any thoughts on the impact on child poverty in Scotland and across the UK of the the policy that his party has on a two child benefit cap and that they implemented when they were in power? >> James Adams. >> I'm not here to talk about Westminster. I'm here to talk about Hollywood. I am. I was elected to talk about the issues affecting Scotland in this parliament and if Scot if this S&P government were to grow our economy we'd be in a better situation. So I will I will continue. I've already given way. >> I've already given way. I will continue. I've already given way. I will continue. Thank you. >> The member doesn't have given away. >> So while we all share the ambition of giving every child the best possible start in life, ambition alone is not enough. There are measures in the program for government that can and will help families. The Scottish child payment provides support to eligible families and the government plans to increase it to £40 a week for children under one. There are also proposals around school meal debt and further expansion of free school meals. But increasing welfare spending alone will not eradicate child poverty. We need to grow Scotland's economy, make work pay and support parents and to secure employment. We need affordable child care so that parents can work. Highquality education so that children can fulfill their potential and secure housing so that families have stability. That is a fundamentally different approach from simply measuring success by how much governments spend. The social security bill is forecast to reach 9.2 billion pounds by 203031. Yet the S&P is making work less rewarding while expecting taxpayers to fund the soaring benefits bill. Tackling poverty simply cannot mean increasing spending year after year. It must mean creating opportunities, supporting families into work, ensuring that work pays. >> Yes. >> I'm grateful to the member for giving way. I just wondered if he can clarify something for me. Earlier on in his remarks, he certainly implied, and I think most people listening would infer, that in his view, the Scottish government wasn't doing anything with its devolved powers to tackle child poverty. He's now just cited the Scottish government using its tax powers to expand provision of social security, which we know is having a material impact on those lower levels of child poverty in Scotland and we see elsewhere in the UK. Would you like to just clarify what his position actually is? >> James Adams. And I would say to the member, he's taken a number of interventions and we don't have any time in hand. So he may want to consider whether he takes further interventions. >> Thank you. Maybe being a bit too generous. Um I I take your point and I acknowledge it. Um you know the S&P you've made repeat >> I'll continue. The S&P have made repeat promises to families and children that it has failed to fully deliver. In 2021 they promised every pupil a laptop or free internet access. that commitment was not properly funded. He also promised free uh breakfast and lunches for every primary school pupil. That promise has not been delivered in full. Yet again, the SMP promised free bikes for children of school age who cannot afford them. Admirable, but yet only a fraction of the commitment has been delivered. There is a recurring theme here. Meanwhile, the number of children living in temporary accommodation has reached a record high. And as of September 2025, we're 10,480 children living in temporary accommodation. Secure housing is an essential part giving children a decent start in life. No child can be expected to thrive while their family is stuck in temporary accommodation, waiting for a suitable home, or facing uncertainty about where they will live next. We should also recognize that poverty is not experienced in the same way in every part of Scotland. In our rural and early communities, families can face higher transport costs, fewer child care options, and longer journeys to access services. A national policy that looks good on paper uh will not work if it does not reach people right across the country. So, while the Scottish Conservatives will support action that genuinely helps children and families, we will not sit here and pretend that the S&P's record has always been good enough. If eradicating child poverty really is the government's defining mission, then it's time for a change in approach. We need a credible plan that tackles poverty while creating opportunity, an economy that grows, child care that works for families, education that closes the attainment gap, and secure housing and employment that provides a route out of poverty. Scotland's children deserve more than political promises and miss targets. They deserve a government that delivers. Thank you. >> We now move on to the open debate. Claire Haw up to four minutes. Thank you, presiding officer. And like many of my colleagues here today during recess, I was out and about in my brother Glenn and Campus Land constituency engaging with constituents and meeting with many local charities and third sector organizations and voluntary groups. And I'd like to take a moment to pay tribute to the volunteers and staff who work day in and day out to support families in our communities and do all that they can to make sure that children and young people are given the best chances and opportunities in life. Their work is absolutely vital because child poverty remains a serious challenge in Scotland. Experiencing poverty touches every aspect of a child's life from health, education, opportunities open to them and to the well-being of their families. And as we heard from the first minister on Tuesday, eradicating child poverty is this government's defining mission. This mission is about building on the progress that we've made and continuing to make a real difference to the lives of families. Presiding officer, the policy and spending choices we make in this chamber make a difference. Child poverty in Scotland is falling and is significantly lower than across the UK as a whole. One of the simplest and most effective actions we can take is to put money directly into the pockets of parents. The IFS estimates some of the lowest income households with children around are around 2760 pounds per year better off because of this SNP government's progressive approach to tax and benefits. And the Scottish child payment, unique in the UK, is projected to lift around 50,000 children out of poverty this year alone. has been shown not only to have helped reduce financial pressures in families, but to have helped them avoid getting into debt and improve their physical and mental health through helping to reduce their stress around everyday budgeting. And so I'm delighted that there will be that will be increased again for children under the age of one with around 12,000 children set to receive the support. Of course, tackling poverty isn't just about the money in people's pockets, but making sure that money goes further. Global events are again leading to increases in the cost of living, and it's vital that we do all we can to ensure these pressures do not undermine the progress that we're making. Scotland already has one of the most generous cost of living packages in the UK and that is a solid foundation which the program for government will protect and expand. From radically expanding child care, lowering public transport fairs, free bus passes for our young people, further expanding free school meals to providing support with fuel bills. This is a program to help protect families from the cost of crisis and ensure that they have the resources that they need to thrive. Presiding officer, there's no silver bullet policy which will eradicate child poverty. Time restricts me from being able to detail the many actions in the program for government to tackle some of the issues inextricably linked to child poverty. Action on affordable housing, homelessness, growing the economy, employment and skills, child care, whole family support, violence against women and girls, and many more. And I'm sure that there will be more opportunity to do so over this parliamentary session. Um I have a time to take Willy Ren. >> Yes, you can take an intervention. Will >> Renie? Um the the member mentioned child care when she was a former children's minister. She did make an attempt to try and close the gap between private, voluntary, and independent nurseries and council nurseries. Now that she's got a position in the finance committee, is she committed to explore that gap to try and close it as the government have tried for years but have not actually succeeded? >> Claire Hoe. >> Well, I'm not about to lay out the finance committee's work program here before it's been discussed with colleagues, but Mr. Reny now has that on the record and I'm sure some of my colleagues on the finance committee may well raise that as a possible inquiry. What I will say is that the government's commitment to eradicating child poverty runs through the document like letters in a stick of rock and the election in May shows that the public want and indeed demands that their politicians focus on the issues that really matter to them like the cost of living and their children's future. And that's what this SNP government is doing. The program details a cons conceded crossgovernment effort to increase incomes and bring down costs and prioritize investment where it will have the highest impact on child poverty. It builds on the government's actions set out in tackling child poverty delivery plan which are estimated to keep 100 100,000 children out of relative poverty this year. We will build on that foundation and go further and faster so that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the chance to succeed and thrive. >> Jack Middleton, up to four minutes and we have no time in hand. Thank you, presiding officer. I want to start by thanking the cabinet secretary for reaffirming the Scottish government's defining mission is the eradication of child poverty in Scotland. A scourge on society uh as a in a society as developed and as wealthy as our own. On his appointment in 2014, our first minister John Swinny couldn't have been clearer that his number one priority was the eradication of child poverty. Not a reduction, an end. A bold and ambitious aim that he knew wouldn't be easy. that he knew would take time, but that he knew was the right thing to do for Scotland. A sentiment I think that sums up his leadership. Now, the work of the Scottish government who are investing in social security and investing in the future of our young people with the tools available to them has led to a fall in child poverty. Across the UK, 27% of children are in poverty. In Scotland, it's 21%. Of course, that reduction is welcome. And as anti-poverty charities recognize, it's down to the S SNP's cost of living package, the most extensive in the UK, a package that uses the limited powers we have through devolution to push the boundaries and create positive change with measures like the Scottish child payment. But let's be clear, as other speakers from all parties have already said, but it's a point that needs underlined. The fact that one in five children in Scotland live in poverty, are robbed of opportunity, robbed of chances, robbed often of a long and healthy life because of the problems their parents face to keep a roof over their heads to put food on the table to keep them from drowning further in debt. It's not just their problem, it's every MSP's problem, and it's Scotland's problem, too. a system and a society that allows so many of our citizens to go cold and hungry is a system that doesn't work at all. So on that point, I welcomed comments from Andy Burnham earlier this week. Shocking, I know, where he acknowledged the broken UK political system is failing workingclass people and has done so for many, many decades. He said wealth hasn't trickled down. that's been grabbed and it's been hoarded by a small few who were unable to do so by a system where services were privatized, communities de-industrialized and resource resources sold off to the highest bidder. Berdam agreed that punishing working families were struggled and um their struggles were compounded by the misery of austerity. Presiding officer, of course, of course the political system in the UK is broken. My colleagues and I on the S SNP benches have been arguing this very point for longer than I've been alive. Yet astonishingly by Labor Tories, Lib Dems, they were told they were wrong. Told still to this day that our struggling citizens must remain part of this rotten system with no option or no route to ever leave. Scottish families on the edge are punished. So narrow political will of politicians in London and the fiscal interests of the UK Treasury can be satisfied. The eradication of child poverty is a bold and ambitious mission but an utterly necessary one. So to realize this mission, it's necessary to have a bold and ambitious system to match that can only be built on the ground an independent Scotland offers where a new system that truly works in the interests of working people and families can be designed. Absolutely, we must go further and use the tools that we have available just now. But only with the full powers of a normal independent nation can Scotland eradicate child poverty. Thank you very much, >> Laura Mitchell. Up to four minutes. Thank you, presiding officer. When people think of my Murray constituency, they will undoubtedly think of its beautiful coastlines, its rolling hills, and the iconic pagodas that populate our rural communities. But behind the beauty, there is hardship with one in four children in my constituency living in poverty. And many families are struggling to get by on low wages and dealing with the higher costs associated with living in rural Scotland where everyday essentials, transport, and energy costs can be significantly more expensive. In our towns, it's not hard to see that poverty and inequality exists. Murray's highest and lowest rates of child poverty are both located in Elgen. traveled just one mile from the west of Elgen to New Elgen and the percentage of children living in poverty rises from 7% to 42%. In our rural communities, poverty can be much more hidden. And in these communities where everyone knows everyone, it can be much harder for folk to seek out help. There are brilliant organizations in my constituency who support those households living in poverty or those who have short-term financial challenges. Murray Food Plus, Murray Cab, the income maximization team at Murray Council. But whilst these services and their staff and volunteers are all excellent, they are simply responding to the symptoms of a broken UK economic system that leaves far too many people unable to simply just get by. And so it's right that the first minister has made tackling child poverty his top priority. Of course, government priorities around poverty, growing the economy, improving the NHS, investing in social housing are all interlin, and we must deliver on each of those areas to succeed in delivering the change that we all want to see. I've already spoken in this chamber about the transformational potential of the SMP government's plans to expand child care, to tackle the gender pay gap, to support more parents into work, and to improve outcomes for young people. So, I'm delighted the Scottish government is providing Murray Council with 1.6 million pounds to get that work started, funding a pilot of flexible afterchool activities delivered in partnership with local clubs and organizations. And in rural communities, the cost of public transport can be a real and tangible barrier for people accessing work and training. Murray was amongst the first areas to roll out the two pound bus fair cap scheme and I've lost count of the number of constituents who've told me just how much this has helped them putting money back in their pockets at a time when costs are rising. The Scottish government's interventions to tackle child poverty are having a real impact and the reason that Scotland is the only part of the UK where poverty levels are falling are because of those interventions. despite us not having the full powers we need to truly transform our economy. But there is more to do and it is clear the government is not complacent by delivering on all of its priorities to grow the economy to improve the NHS to expand child care to invest in social housing. That is a government that can transform the life chances of people across Scotland. And I hope that MSPs across the chamber will get behind that plan so that we can truly deliver on the mission to make sure that every child thrives. >> Jenny Young to be followed by Stuart McMillan. Jenny Young. In the nearly 10 years since the Child Poverty Act 2017 was passed, we have heard a lot about the eradication of child poverty, about a defining mission and a moral purpose. But we must face a hard truth, which is that we are not going to eradicate child poverty by the year 2030. We're not even going to achieve the targets agreed to in 2017. The upcoming review of the targets used to measure child poverty should be a chance to reflect and take stock. But at the moment I fear that it is just going to be a moving of the goalposts. And of course there have been some positive steps forward in the last decade. First and foremost the Scottish child payment. Cash transfers remain one of the primary means of lifting families out of poverty. But there is much much more to fighting poverty in our country than that. And I welcome the fact that today's motion from the government does at least acknowledge that fact. Child care, transport, affordable housing, these are all important. But on housing alone, there are still more than 10,000 children living in temporary accommodation. An absolute scandal. And more than two years later, Scotland remains in the grip of a housing emergency with no sign that that's about to be alleviated. There have been many announcements, many shiny, eye-catching policies, but unfortunately, many good ideas have not survived the crucial implementation stage. I would suggest that it might be better for the government and parliament frankly to concentrate on getting delivery of one policy right before expanding it or announcing a new one. Child care being a key example. With 75% of Scotch children living in relative poverty coming from working households, we cannot expect to meaningfully tackle child poverty until this is actually addressed. Parents across Scotland were offered 1,140 hours of free child care for three and four year olds. But the system which been delivered as others have set out does not work for working parents. There are well doument documented issues around flexibility especially for parents doing shift work and availability of child minders is a key issue particularly in rural and more remote areas. The 1140 hours policy as it stands does not address families desperate need for wraparound care as well as whole family support. Simply expanding this system to include children from nine months old will not address many of these fundamental flaws. For the underlying systemic factors that cause people to be stuck in cycles of generational poverty to be tackled, we need honesty. This cannot be a chance to move the goalposts to fudge the numbers so that things look better than they really are. Now, I believe this government's desire to eradicate child poverty is genuine and it is a sentiment that I firmly share. I left a career in teaching to work in politics because I saw what was going wrong in our education system. One of the key means by which people can escape these generations and cycles of poverty. I saw children coming to school hungry, unable to concentrate in the classroom, and often with disregulated behavior. There was a boy in my S1 French class who couldn't read in English, let alone in French. Support staff were stretched thinner than ever, unable to cope with a range of complex needs. School budgets struggle to make ends meet with departments running out of key resources like pencils and jars midyear. None of that is lifting children out of poverty and I certainly couldn't fix all that as one teacher in one classroom in Wesian. We can't fix all that instantly in this place. But we certainly have the levers to try and to make far more progress than the last 10 years have seen. And I would just say that the language around having the lowest child poverty rates in in anywhere in the UK betrays a posity of ambition in this place that I think has held this parliament and this government back from making greater progress in the last 10 years. Families across Scotland don't need more warm words and lofty ambitions and perhaps changing goalposts. They need us to get on and deliver. >> Stuart McMillan to be followed by Heather Anderson. Stuart McMillan. Thank you representing Aler. First of all, I think bringing an end to child poverty in Scotland should be a top priority for for every politician and also every political party and I do warmly welcome the first minister making that this the Scottish government defining mission. I do agree with colleagues from across the chamber that education and employment are the best routes out of poverty. But the facts still remain. There are still people who live in poverty and will live in poverty for a whole variety of reasons. And I'll gently come back to one of the points raised by Julie McDougall. She spoke earlier on regarding she's not in the chambers. Sorry about that. But she spoke about the overregulation of house building. Surely the building of better houses and better quality homes provides better health outcomes for the people who actually live in those homes. Surely that's something that's a good thing and we should all actually welcome. Now the S&P government have already made great progress in Scotland. Uh we have mitigated against the cruel to child cap that the Tories introduced in 2017 but the Labour party kept in place until April of this year. Introduces Scottish child payment which has been spoken about already. Increase the value of the five family payments which can be worth around £26,000 by the time a child turns 16. save families who take up the offer of free school meals 400 pounds per child a year and expanded funded child care to 1140 hours with plans to extend this further to provide care for children from 9 months old to the end of primary school. Now, many of these policies are unique to Scotland. And over the next two decades in government, the S&P have spent over 100 million, sorry, the last two decades, we spent 100 million pounds a year mitigating mitigating shameful Westminster policies like the bedroom tax. That's not taking people out of poverty. That's putting people into poverty. And that's Westminster shame. Now, now addressing child poverty has long been one of the SMP's main priorities, including the child poverty Scotland act in 2017. In the briefing from child poverty action group for today's debate, latest official stats show the proportion of children in poverty in Scotland fell from between 25% between 2020 23 to 21% in 2022 25. Now, that's a substantive 4 percentage point reduction, but gently say to Jenny Young, I I welcome the fact it's reduced. I think it's a good thing, but my goodness, we've still got a long, long way to go. But the fact that this parliament only has some powers, it doesn't have the normal powers of a full independent country, then we are limited to what we can do. And that's just a fact of the matter. Now, the fact that the UK has got 28% of children living in poverty across the same period. So that's far too high for the UK, but it's also far too high for us in Scotland at 21%. And that's why we need to do so much more. And so despite the fixed budgets and the limited powers of devolution, we are doing a lot more. So I am so normally we take interventions. I apologize. We only have up to four minutes. So I do welcome the S&P policies uh in Scotland. It's the only part of the UK. So only part of the UK where levels of child poverty are failing and and that's sorry are falling and that's a good thing that they're falling but we still get more to do. Now I do welcome the program for government consulting on the legislation to establish legal price ceilings on some essential food items writing off school meal school meal debt further expansion of fair school meals ensure families can access breakfast clubs for all primary schools and other things. So I welcome these but I know we've got so much more to do but sitting officer my final point now I I know I'm aware of this that the concerns about children not having beds or having to share beds due to overcrowding and poverty across the country that's a disgrace that's shameful we should do better than that we live in an energy-rich country we could do so much more if we had the full powers of independence we can change this poverty situation for good thanks very Heather Anderson to be followed by Col Heather Anderson. >> Thank you, presiding officer. I refer to my register of members interests and declare I'm a servant counselor in Dundy City Council. Presiding officer, there's not much that Dundy doesn't know about poverty. We've survived recurring waves of de-industrialization. The juke mills closed. Ship building ceased. Timex and Levi came and went and on bad days the scars of lost jobs are still visible. We remember Mrs. Thatcher. And yes, the statistics are stark. Six of the eight wards in the city have families living in the highest areas of multiple deprivation with all the associated damage that that brings. Higher levels of ill health and disability, higher alcohol and drugrelated hospital emissions, poor mental health, and over 20% of our bearings living in poverty. But that poverty doesn't define those barren or their families. Those beons are as full of joy, wonder, and potential as any other barren. And the job of this government above everything else is to ensure that poverty doesn't define or diminish who these barons are, who they can become, and what lives they might lead. Here in the SNP, we'll do everything we can to help them succeed. We're expanding early learning and child care from nine months to the end of primary by the end of this parliament. We're building thousands of new homes and it's particularly gling to be patronized by people who either caused the problem or haven't done as much as us to try and solve it. And we know in Dundee, we know in our bones the difference an SNP government makes. Dundee was one of the first cities to roll out the Scottish child payment in 2021. Since then, the weekly rate has increased not as much as you would like, Holly, but it's increased from £10 to £2820. It started for children under six and it's now paid to the age of 16. This government will increase the amount to 40 per week for under. And we keep investing in our children. Over 10,000 children in Dundee have benefit from the Scottish child payment. We sometimes talk about the Scottish child payment as if it's ordinary. Well, it's not. It's extraordinary. It's not been matched by any of the other three nations. It's a massive strategic intervention. Professor Danny Dorling, the London School of Economics, an airswell adviser to the Labor Party, said the Scottish child payment is the most significant intervention in tackling child poverty in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall. So yes, Scotland is the only nation in the UK where levels of p child poverty are falling. Are we satisfied we've got it low enough? Absolutely not. Will we keep working on it? Absolutely. And most importantly, this party has never accepted that poverty is inevitable. Yes, with generational poverty, but we also know that twothirds of children living in poverty have a working parent. Charles Dickens would be stunned to learn that we still have the working poor with us. We also know that poverty is a place that anyone in this room can find themselves in. Anyone can lose a job. Anyone can have an accident. Anyone can become seriously ill. I was speaking just this week to Ellie from the Children's Hospices across Scotland and she was very eloquently explaining the impact of a child's illness on family finances both in terms of loss of earnings and increased costs of daily living. Having the best cost of living support in the UK makes a big difference to those families every single day. And finally, presiding officer, we also know it's not just about the money. As the cabinet secretary has already mentioned, Dundy is pioneering whole family support across the whole of our city. Our child poverty and inequality strategic leadership group will be starting work in our new Greenfield Academy. The multiddisciplinary team will target vulnerable families with babies and infants under under three because we know that the first 1,000 days of a child's life is the is critical to their future development. And we want to get in there and ensure that every child gets the best start in life. And cabinet secretary, I just want to say we will make good use of the 20 million pound whole family support third sector delivery fund. We've already applied for it and we'll be coming back every year. I commend this program of for government and all the work this party does every day to make children in Scotland have the best start possible. Thank you. >> Call me Merrick up to four minutes. >> Deputy presiding officer. I welcome the opportunity to speak in the closing stages of today's debate. We've heard a number of interesting and thoughtful speeches today and I'd like to thank all those members who have made a positive contribution. I'd also like to thank the Scottish government for making the eradication of child poverty a defining mission of this session because regardless of our political persuasion, I do not think anyone in this chamber can doubt their heartfelt commitment to tackling poverty and improving the lives of children and families across Scotland. However, presiding officer, I want to reserve my biggest thanks for those local organizations, community groups, charities, volunteers, and ordinary people who make such a difference every single day. Some of the people that Holly Bruce recognized. They are tackling not only the effects of child poverty, but where they can, its causes, and doing so at a local and individual level, often quietly and without recognition. They are the real unsung heroes and I'm sure every member in this chamber could name organizations in their own constituencies doing exactly that. In my constituency in Annis land I'm going to highlight just a couple local organizations such as Temple Shaft and Youth Group Linkies and White Center provide invaluable services, support and opportunities for children, young people and their families. Kingsway Community Connections, Brody's Cafe, and the Netherton Community Center have all been providing breakfast free of charge. Many schools also provide breakfast clubs, which simply would not survive without the dedication of parents, teachers, and volunteers who give their time to make sure that children start the school day fed and ready and able to learn. That work sits alongside the Scottish government's support for primary one to primary five and sixes to sevens who receive the child payment. In Glasgow, we've gone further extending support to P6 pupils last year and rolling it out to all primary 7 pupils just a few weeks ago. and wh they absolutely rec will absolutely welcome the Scottish government's support organizations like these and the ordinary people behind them will be essential to the successful delivery of the government's ambitions presiding officer yesterday I asked the cabinet secretary how we will ensure that children's voices are heard when we talk about raising standards and delivering excellence for every child today I want to ask a similar question how will we ensure that the voices of our local communities are heard. How will we ensure that their experience, knowledge, and ideas placed at the heart of the Scottish government's thinking on how we eradicate child poverty? Scottish government's response to the report in widening the use of people's panels committed to ensuring that they become properly embedded in the work of government so that they can have the maximum possible impact. I welcome that commitment and whilst I acknowledge the financial constraints that government faces, I believe that the development of smaller, lowerc cost, locally focused panels could be both attractive and achievable and urge the cabinet secretary to feed this into government thinking. Those who live and work in our communities understand the challenges better than anyone. They know where services are working, where they're failing, and more importantly, what could be done differently. If we're serious about eradicating child poverty, and we are, we need to listen to them. Next week, we will debate building stronger, safer, and more inclusive communities. And I hope, if I'm able to speak to expanded why that principle is so very important to this debate, too. Deputy Brazilian Officer, the Scottish government's program for government is ambitious, but if we're to realize the these ambitions, we must ensure that everyone's voice is heard and listened to and valued. Because it is only by working together, government, parliament, communities, organizations, and individuals that we can realize these aims and ultimately share in their success. Thank you. We move on to the closing speeches and I call Duncan Dunlop. Thank you, presiding officer. Uh, as Liberal Democrats, we are here to get things done. So, we will work with this government constructively and one of its great ambitions to focus on the eradication of child poverty. But the evidence does not suggest they are anywhere near reaching the targets that they have su set themselves. Successive first ministers have pledged to eradicate child poverty. Yet despite some positive steps, not enough has happened. The Joseph Roundtree Foundation stats that have been quoted are looking to the future as the poverty rate for all children is marginally down from 25 to 23%. But the poverty rate for children in large families went up from 32 to 41%. Consideration of this is significant with our birth rate in Scotland plummeting. And the poverty rate for families with a baby went up from 31 to 35%. So in this debate, I'm less interested in what this government has done and more interested in what it will do that will have impact. And I will focus on two areas, housing and employment. Because despite having some of the most progressive housing homelessness legislation, Shelter Scotland highlight a record 10,480 children are trapped in temporary accommodation. That figure has been getting progressively worse over the last decade. Put another way, that is 39 children becoming homeless every day. Without a stable home, the conditions in which children grow up is seriously compromised. So what is the government planning to do to close the gap between legislation, associated guidance and the polling lived reality of homelessness? Reviews and strategies are not enough. And then there is employment. We talked a lot about that today. For many families, employment is an important route out of poverty. It helps build confidence, pride, ambition, and stability to family homes and children. But we should not pretend that employment alone is the answer as to simply cut social security and tell people to get back to work will leave people in poverty. There is more nuance than that. Save the children note that around 60% of parents receiving universal credit are already in work. These are working families who are struggling to make ends meet. So we need people to help people into work where it is the answer while supporting those who remain in poverty despite working or not being able to. But that brings me to the government's flagship employability program. No one left behind approach. Over 80 million has been invested in this approach each year for several years. But between April 2020 and December 2025, it supported 32,05 parents. But of those only 8% were in confirmed sustained employment after a year. 8%. But now compare that with five gingerbread who were part of that funded program that supports families in low-income communities across F. They returned over 70% of the people they supported were in employment after a year. The government must understand where and why some delivery delivery agencies work and others clearly do not. Why doesn't the government give certainty and stability to third sector organizations like Five Gingerbread and give them five-year performance related contracts? Instead, the plethora of funding streams bakes in waste and frustration where it's time limited and short of time when it is rolled out. And No One Left Behind does not stand alone. It sits alongside a whole range of other employability funds and programs. I counted nine that are distributed distributed through local authorities. It is not strategic but sporadic and fails to deliver value for money. My message to the minister is simple. Look to organizations that are demonstrating what works and not the cheapest option. And finally, can we make use of the data we already have? Can we focus more closely on deep poverty? Those who are really at the sharp end. We know with the data we currently have and advances in computing in AI which families are furthest from escaping poverty. Why can't we target our funding better with the child payment? Give more is necessary where it will make the greatest difference. Because if eradicating child poverty really is the defining mission of this government and this parliament, we should measure ourselves not by the ambition of our promises, but by the lives we actually change by taking effective action. Right now, even where budgets are tight, I know we could do much, much more. >> I call Megan Gallagher up to five minutes. Thank you, presiding officer, and I hope that we can all agree that this has been a debate characterized by strongly held views about how best to tackle child poverty. And if I may begin on a point of consensus, I believe that every single MSP who has spoken in this debate wants to reduce the chances of a child growing up in poverty. Where we disagree is on how best to achieve that. The breadth of this debate has demonstrated just how many issues feed into child poverty. The economy, child care, housing, employment, transport, educational attainment, and I think there was even a mention of net zero at one point in this debate as well. But when a debate becomes a hodgepodge of so many different ideas, it becomes difficult to properly scrutinize any one of them. But reflecting on the overall contributions today, I'm afraid the Scottish government has still not learned the lessons that it needs to learn. In fact, we've heard a lot of contributions in this chamber this afternoon that seem to have a focus on politics and governments elsewhere than what it has and what's going on right here, right now in our country. This government has become increasingly reliant on welfare as a means of reducing poverty. The social security budget this year is 7.4 billion and it's forecast to reach 9.2 billion by 2031. This trajectory is unsustainable and I do believe that the Scottish government knows it. But the answer cannot simply be to keep increasing spending and taxes in the hope that the problem goes away. We need to be honest enough to ask whether the policies that are being pursued are actually working because tackling poverty is not simply about how much money the government spends. It's about providing people with the opportunity to work. Families keeping more of what they earn. Children getting the best possible start in life. That is the test this government should be applying to its policies. Not how much more money can we spend, but are we actually changing people's lives? Willie Denny was right in his intervention. Not just now, I'm going to continue. Willy Renie was right in the point that he was making. We need long-term solutions and that involves growing our economy, more investment, more jobs. And James Adams was also right to say that some policies that the government announced will receive cross party support. But there's also areas where the Scottish government has promised families the world and failed to deliver. And I'm talking about the free stuff that isn't actually free. It's paid for by taxpayers. Laptops, bikes, and now the offer of a free school bag. I wish the Scottish government would divert its attention away from the props and focus on the back office changes that need to take place. Changes that could divert more resource into our classrooms. Give working families more control over the money that they earn and changes that could help families make the decisions that they believe are right for their children. Whether that's closing the attainment gap or reducing in work poverty. I appreciate that these decisions would not necessarily grab the headlines, but governing is not always about grabbing the headlines. It's about results in meeting targets. The Scottish government, in my view, needs to stop focusing on propaganda and start using resources better and directing it towards the areas where it would be most valued and where we can make the greatest difference. The Scottish Conservatives do support the Lib Dem amendment today because we understand the issues in the child care sector. That's something that I hope that we can work cross party on, particularly in relation to cross boundary, but also actually what happens when we're looking for child care for families who have twins or more than than twins at the one time. I think if we're serious about tackling child poverty, we have to be serious about child care. We have to be serious about growing our economy. It's not what looks good in a press release, presiding officer. It's about what works for families. Thank you, Laura Moody. Up to six minutes. >> Thank you, deputy pro presiding officer. As I close this debate for the Scottish Greens, I want to return to the claim at the heart of the motion and echoed by Cla Hohi in her contribution that eradicating child poverty is the Scottish government's defining mission. I think it's fair to say that this year's program for government will do very little to shift the dial on child poverty. There's plenty in the motion from the cabinet secretary today to commend, not least continuing ideas put forward to the government by the Scottish Greens like the two pound bus fair cap. But if this program is ambitious for Scotland, I'm still waiting to see the ambition. If ambition is to be more than a slogan, it must be reflected in the choices we make. It must mean taking real action to reduce the cost that families face every day. For the Scottish Greens, tackling child poverty means addressing both household incomes and household costs. And if there's one area where we can make a transformative difference, it's child care. As Jenny Young and Mvin May McCallen both said in their statements, child care isn't simply a service for working parents. It's economic infrastructure. It's an anti-poverty measure. It's a gender equality measure. And it's one of the most powerful investments we can make in children's futures. Parents are currently left spending a huge share of their income on nursery fees, reducing their working hours or leaving employment altogether. And the burden falls overwhelmingly on women. And that's why the Scottish Greens have called for a universal child care guarantee, ensuring every child has access to funded child care from six months until they start school. And we've proposed extending those hours of funded child care to all twoyear-olds and expanding funded provision for children aged six months to two years. We've also argued for flexibility so support can be used either for child care or to help parents who choose to stay at home during those early years. And if the Scottish government is serious about child poverty, this is the scale of ambition we should be discussing. But child care is not the whole story. Poverty is experienced through the accumulation of costs. It's felt in the weekly food shop. It's felt when a family buys school uniform. It's felt every time a parent has to decide whether they can afford another school activity, another item of clothing, or even another meal. When Green MSPs secured the two pound bus fair cap pilot in the Highlands and Islands, that was a gamecher to help families cut the costs of traveling around. And whilst I welcome the expansion to the SPT region from Monday, large sways of the country are still missing out. People across my region in Dumpries and Galloway in the Scottish borders who rely so heavily on bus services have faced rising bus fairs for years all while services are being cut. They're paying more for less. Telling them that they may have to wait until 2031 for a two pound fair cap is too little, too late. In the last couple of years, I've been really pleased to see the progress that New College Lannshire has made in connecting their campuses by bus with the communities they serve. The college works with local bus operator JMBB Travel to extend the 42 service, which provides direct links to their Coke Bridge and Motherwell campuses, stopping at points in the communities surrounding them. And it's vital that there are not only the measures to be able to travel by bus, but also the bus services to colleges at reasonable times to match because Scotland's colleges do so much to tackle challenges that prevent young people and adult learners alike from taking up learning or employment. Flexible learning and support with child care and travel costs are all vital anti-poverty measures that colleges anchored in their communities can take. But in schools, I remain disappointed by the lack of urgency around expanding free school meals. Free school meals reduce the stigma that Laura Mitchell talked so eloquently about, particularly in rural close-knit communities. They improve health and educational outcomes and crucially put money directly back into family budgets. So I was astonished to see, as my green colleague Holly Bruce pointed out yesterday, that the government are actually retreating on free school meal provision in secondary schools. At a time when too many households are still under financial pressure, we should be moving faster, not slower. Likewise, stronger action on school uniform guidance could make a tangible difference. No child's education is improved by expensive branded clothing. Parents shouldn't feel compelled to buy costly items when affordable alternatives are available. Reducing those unnecessary costs is one of the simplest steps we can take to support families. When governments invest in children and families, poverty falls. When they fail to do so, inequality deepens. So if eradicating child poverty is truly the Scottish government's defining mission, then let's match that ambition with action. Let's ensure that every decision we make is judged against a simple question. Will this help lift children out of poverty? Scotland's children deserve nothing less. >> Katherine Sangster, up to five minutes. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thanks to all the members in the the chamber that have contributed so thoughtfully to this debate, and in particular, my colleagues Mark Griffin and Jenny Young. Mark set out practical anti-poverty policies that are going to help parents earn more, reduce costs, and improve their life chances, reflecting the approach taken by the UK government. And to Laura Moody's point on branded school wear, the UK government has already banned that um in England and Wales. But we have to be honest with ourselves in this chamber. Too many people feel overlooked by our politicians and feel that debates here do not change lives and they feel that the economy is not working for them. So if we are to rebuild trust in politics, then Scottish government must show through their actions that they are dealing with issues that matter most to the people of Scotland. Recent polling found that 76% of people in Scotland are worried about child poverty. Child poverty is one of the government's defining missions that we've heard, but as my colleague Jenny Young put so well, we are not moving at the scale and speed that we need to to ensure the targets are met. Children get one childhood and they cannot wait. We cannot accept a Scotland where a child's opportunities are still shaped by the income of the households that they are born into. And I'm pleased to hear from the tone of the debate that we can all agree on that. Thanks for to Holly Bruce for bringing the lived experience of poverty campaigners into into the parliament today. And I would like to point out to the report by Save the Children and the Joseph Round Tree Foundation, the new story of child poverty in Scotland. It's so important that we not only change what we do about child poverty, but how we talk about it. And I'd like to thank Heather Anderson for her contribution when she said that actually poverty is something that can happen to everybody. This is not a them and us situation. We've heard a lot of statistics today, but behind every statistic is a person's story. A child going without a winter jacket, a parent lying awake at night stressed about how they're going to pay the next bill. and a child who knows that asking to go on that school trip or admitting to their parents that they need a new pair of shoes is going to be a source of anxiety to their mom and dads. So, we need to tell that story honestly. This is not a story about irresponsible families, but as so many colleagues have pointed out, a story about the cost of living, insecure work, and a social security system that so often fails to provide security families need. We've heard that there are particular groups that we need to target more. alone parents, larger families, families with babies, young mothers, and families from ethnic minorities, and families where a child or adult is disabled. So, more targeted support is needed. We need to put more money in people's pockets, and social security is one tool, but income maximization is another. Wales has put income maximization at the center part of their strategy, and we should do the t the same. Too many families do not receive everything they're entitled to, and we must Yeah, cabinet secretary >> grateful to the member for giving way. Would she accept that part of the income maximization that's exceptionally important is a benefit takeup strategy in which she joining me on calling the UK government to develop its own benefit strategy uptake which it does not have and which we have in Scotland. >> Katherine Sangster, >> I would actually agree with that. We've shown in community organizations how income maximization makes a huge difference. So yeah, I would I would agree. Um so and we also need decent secure employment and to speak to uh Jenny's point and other colleagues, we have to make sure that employers provide familyfriendly flexible work with secure hours and we need child care that works for families and that's why I would support the the Lib Dem amendment. As one parent told me, child care cost feels like an issue for everyone. If we want to support parents back into well-paired work, then child care has to work around families. We also need a greater investment in holistic relationshipbased family support. And I welcome Duncan Dunlop's intervention. The 20 million pound pound fund is welcome, but we need to make sure that we're learning from projects and successful approaches are scaled up and that the whole family support becomes a sustained part of how we tackle child poverty rather than short-term interventions. So, presiding officer, there are changes that we need to make. We need to change the way we talk about child poverty. We cannot constantly tell people that child poverty is too enormous, too complicated, and impossible to solve because we risk people feeling overwhelmed and powerless. The story is that this is possible. We must end child poverty. The parliament has already set out that ambition in law. The target is there. The evidence is there. And we have many of the tools we need. What is required is the political will. Michael Mara has set out the idea of a cross party commission and I do hope that all parties would take that seriously. We do have a choice. Childhood happens once. We don't need another target review. We cannot retreat from this. We need to advance and we need action. And this is why I urge members to support our labor amendment. >> Amanda Lindseay up to seven minutes. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. This is the Scottish government's third attempt at a child poverty delivery plan. First, we had every child every chance. Then, best start, bright futures. Now, we're invited to applaud bringing hope, building futures. Slogans change, targets do not. And the results have not kept pace with the rhetoric. The Child Poverty Scotland Act of 2017 was passed with a clear promise. Relative child poverty below 10% by 2030. The interm target was below 18% by 2023 24. Ministers have called this their defining national mission. But let us look at the record, not branding. The latest figures still put relative child poverty at around 21% more than 200,000 children and that is more than double the 2030 target. So the government's own modeling for this third plan projects relative child poverty falling only to about 18% by 203031. Even on the government's own paper, the statutory target will be missed. And it's not a near miss. It is a plan that admits failure in the small print while claiming hope in the title and behind those percentages. >> Could I ask the member to speak up? I think some members aren't able to hear it. >> Apologies. And behind those percentages, >> cabinet secretary, I'm just wondering if you could advise the chamber whether members who opened for a debate should actually take part, particularly actually when their own member is closing. >> I'm not clear which member that the um cabinet secretary refer to. issue of referring to a member that's not present in the Yes, that's something that we are aware of and we will take up. I'm grateful to the cabinet secretary. Um I'm I'd also be grateful if Amanda Lindseay could continue with her speech. >> Thank you. Behind those percentages are families living it every day. Action for Children recorded one mother of three saying, "We've been relying on food banks to get by and been eating smaller portions to make what we have last longer." When my children go into the kitchen to look for food, all I see is their disappointed faces as they find the cupboards empty. And that is the reality this parliament should be judging plans against, not another slogan. Charities that usually give this government the benefit of the doubt have noticed. And as uh Mark Griffin stated in June, the Joseph Roundtree Foundation said the latest plan fails to set out how the targets will be met as the act requires and it is open to legal challenge. Poverty Alliance, Saberau, CPAG, One Parent Family Scotland, Save the Children and the Trussell Trust warned that ministers cannot ignore that they are reviewing targets in part because they have not done enough to meet them. They said removing income from the measurement would be like a speedometer that only tells you the temperature. Presciding officer, when even those organizations say the government is at risk of watering down responsibility, this parliament should listen. However, I'll give credit where it's due. the the Scottish child payment helps hundreds of thousands of low-income households and investment in social housing can ease housing costs. Those measures have a real immediate effect and they're welcome, but they are short-term tinkering and they move people across a statistical line. They do not fix why so many families cannot stand on their own feet. Free bus travel, breakfast clubs, and free school meals reduce costs. Whole family well-being funds and employability programs have a place. And Morvin May McCllum and others were right. Affordable child care is an important factor. Targeting six family types that account for most child poverty is a recognition of reality. None of that is the same as a strategy that creates works it sorry creates work that pays. Reform's position is simple. The long-term answer to child poverty is a good job. A wage from work, not another slogan and another transfer. It's what lifts families permanently. Work gives income routine dignity and an example to children. Benefits can cushion a shock. They cannot replace an economy that produces enough decent jobs. Megan Gallaer, James Adams, and Willie Renie agree. This is where the government has failed. Energy costs, tax, and regulation have made it harder to make things and employ people in Scotland. We've seen industrial jobs go, including in communities that needed the most. You cannot run a national mission on child poverty while making it more expensive to create the work that ends poverty. Parental employability schemes will not succeed if there are too few jobs to go into or if those jobs do not pay enough after housing and energy costs. As my colleague Julia McDon McDougall said, we need to make sure social housing priorities local people, especially those with children who need it most. No one left behind is an empty phrase if the industrial strategy leaves communities behind. So let us be honest about this third plan. It recycles the mission language. It leans again on social security. It projects a path that still misses the law the government wrote for itself and it treats work as one theme among many instead of the foundation. This parliament should not accept another five years of hopeful titles and misnumbers. Do not water down the targets to hide failure. Do not pretend another delivery plan is the same as delivery. And it is for these reasons that I cannot support this motion. In conclusion, presiding officer, if ministers are serious, they will put growth, energy costs, and jobs at the center, not just another round of income transfers. Reform will back measures that help families work their way out of poverty. We will not pretend that slogans are a substitute for a pay packet. >> I call on Siobhan Brown to wind up the debate and to respond in behalf of the Scottish government. Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. And can I thank all members for their contributions today. There have been some really powerful contributions from from some members because eradicating child poverty should be a really emotive issue for all of us. I'm just going to touch on a few of the contributions if I can. Uh Mark Griffin asked if the Scottish government is going to meet the Scottish government poverty targets. We know it's challenging, but we will meet our targets. You also raised the issue of children in poverty and temporary accommodation and housing. Our PFG sets out our plans to go further and to deliver on our intention to end homelessness for good for good, including through record public sector investment in the supply of affordable homes, including the4.9 billion pounds over the next four years to support affordable housing with at least 70% for social rent and 10% for our rural and island communities. Holly Bruce calls for an uplift in the Scottish child payment. Our Scottish child payment already provides unparalleled financial help to families and are looking at increasing support to 40 children under the age of one years old. And I agree with the member and I agree with Jack Middleton and I agree with McMillan that if we were an independent country, we would be doing things very differently. But as a government, we have to live within our pocket money from Westminster. And we're already investing 159 million pounds this year alone mitigating the worst impacts of UK government welfare policy. Morvin McCallum from the Lib Dems raised the issue of child care force shortages, especially in rural areas. And I am acutely aware of this from coming into my post and having my discussions over the last couple of months. As part of our work to consult on the blue blueprint for the transformed child care offer, we will be focusing on what matters most and is vital to reflect the views and the needs of rural and island communities. And I'm grateful to all the stakeholders and the childare regulatory bodies who took part in the rural and island childcare roundt in Aleppo in March this year. Yes, I will. >> Megan Galahar. >> I thank the minister for giving. way. One of my constituents has written into me regarding uh affordable child care for twins because we know it's not just one cost, it's a double cost. So, I'm just wondering if that will be part of the consideration that the government are taking forward because we know that those families will be struggling because it's not just one baby, it's more than one. >> Minister, >> thank the member for that and I will be coming on to it. We're at the very early stages where I had a conversation just yesterday about this issue and I'm happy to engage with the member on that topic. I know that um >> yes will >> do we do we have an answer for closing the gap between the funding for private voluntary and independent nurseries and council nurseries. >> So we have delivered sustainable increases in the rates that have been paid to funded ELC providers in the private third and child minor sectors since 2017. And I know that you know you raised this historically with another member earlier on with rates increased by nearly 88% over this period. In this year alone, we are making an available further 13.4 million to enable childare staff delivering funded ELC in private and third sector services to continue to be paid for the least li real living wage on top of the additional 25.7 million pounds recurring funding that we have delivered to support. Now, we do recognize that this is an issue and that is why the Scottish government and Kosla are continuing to progress the longerterm reforms set out in the joint sustainable rates review, including greater standardization in rate settings process and improving the evidence available on the costs of delivery. As the cabinet secretary said at the start of the debate, there are a few things that are more important than ensuring that every child grows up loved, safe, safe, and respected and is able to reach their full potential, which is why eradicating child poverty is the defining mission of this government. The contributions that we've heard today underline that members across the chamber share the government's ambitions to tackle child poverty, and I welcome the healthy debate that we have had here today. Our program for government builds on the actions we set out in the third tackling child poverty delivery plan published in March and it sets out our plans to invest in young people and their families so that they can re reach their full potential and these include actions to support people to learn new skills to find good fair work and increase their earnings and to transform Scotland's child care offer to provide support for families with children from nine months through to the end of primary school cost should not be determined the the cost should not determine the choices that our young people make and the education that they receive. We will therefore continue to ensure that pupils. >> Yes. Yep. >> Victor Curry, >> thank you. uh in the extension of funding for children down to the age of nine months. Um do you recognize the fact that in we've got a finite amount of child care provision at the moment in terms of carers. If we increase the number of children at that age, we go from a ratio of a child career being able to look after five children down to one to three. So if we've got a finite number of carers, if we take on three younger children, we then lose pl five places for elder children. So we potentially have a shortfall in the number of workers we have and this could exacerbate the availability of child care for parents. >> Minister, >> yes. So I'm sorry slightly confused by your question there, but no, we this is what we're doing. We we are working quite closely with child minders, nurseries, private sector, and how we do transform child care. And it's really going to be up to parental choice. There's not going to be every parent that wants to put their child into child care at 9 months. So, it's about giving people the choice and families the choice of what child care they want. So we will therefore continue to ensure that pupils and their families do not have to meet the costs of materials for practical lessons in schools or socal core curriculum costs by providing a further8 million pounds towards this policy in 2627. We also want to ensure that eligible families continue to receive support with the cost of school uniform and we will continue to upate funding with the SC school clothing grant in line with inflation. Currently, our free school meal programs provides universal provision from primary 1 to five and to eligible pupils from P6 um P5 to S, sorry, P6 to S6, saving those families that take up the offer every day, £450 per child annually. Presiding officer, I can confirm that over the course of this parliament, we will expand access to free school meals to all children in primary school. We are also aware that many families continue to face hardship and difficulties in paying for school meals. And while we work towards delivering our expanded offer, we will take steps to address this issue of school meal debt with local authorities and we'll be writing to them shortly to to seek information on the school meal debt in their areas. I want to say a little bit more about our plans for child care and to address some of the points that have been raised today in the chamber. We will publish and consult on a blueprint for a transformed child care offer which is focused on what matters most to families. Our ambition is to create a more flexible childare system that recognizes that access to highquality child care is not only essential for children's development, but it will also critical in tackling child poverty, supporting household incomes, advancing gender equality, and also supporting economic growth. In the year ahead, we will continue to fund a range of targeted childare support for lowincome families. And earlier today, we confirmed the first of 8.2 million pounds of childcare support funding, which will help almost 5,000 lowincome families with the cost of child care at times of challenge or change. As the first minister announced earlier this week, we will work in partnership with local governments to deliver a national breakfast club offer. And this year we will invest 15 million pounds into local authorities to expand and to enhance breakfast clubs in schools. And from next year we will invest4 million pounds annually to deliver free breakfast clubs in primary schools across Scotland by this time next year. And from August 2029 we will provide an after afterchool and holiday childare offering for families which will reduce the cost of childare at times which we know cause challenge for families. We will prioritize funding within our budgets to ensure that transformation can be delivered. Eradicating child poverty will need a range of support and action and we must ensure parents and carers are able to learn and grow and become equipped with the skills they need to secure and sustain meaningful and well- paid employment. Government cannot achieve this ambition in isolation. And we need to work closely with our partners who are on the front line of our economies and our communities. This is why during this academic year we are investing£22 million pounds into the college sector to help parents and carers gain skills that will support them to progress in work and boost their earning potential with 10 the 10 million pounds for the college's rise raising through education skills program and 2 million pounds going into training access fund and 10 million for a new flexible workforce development fund. This investment will support families at risk of poverty by providing essential support to get into training that fits around family life, including support and with child care and travel. As we begin the next term of this parliament, the commitment to keeping the promise is as strong now as it was in 2020 and a significant amount of progress has been made nationally and locally. I am honored to have inherited the brief to improve outcomes for children and young people who have experience of care and in so doing I want to continue the excellent collaborative work across a chamber that my so able led predecessor Miss Don Inis led of course >> Duncan Dunlop >> thank you for taking could you please be specific and where you are seeing progress for the care experience population since the promise has been in place >> minister >> yes There's there's a lot of um places that we want to see progress. I know there there's been a few people that said not not enough progress has been made and CABSE and myself are very focused on ensuring that we deliver the promise by 2030 and I'm sure myself and you will be having lots of discussions regarding that joint working that working that culminated in the comprehensive children's care experience and service planning act unanimously supported by members across the parliament and I say this to all members my door is wide open of sh to sharing ideas and experience to ensure that together we can ensure that 2030 is a reality and this is not a place for politics. It's a time for collaboration and through which we can support the delivery of the change that our care experience communities require. Of course, central to the promise has been our ongoing commitment to improve holistic whole family support and our whole family well-being funding program has been a key enabler of that system change since 2022. Part of the role in creating and the enabling conditions for change is continuing to simplify and streamline our national policy as much as possible and the commitment in building hope brighter futures to integrate the whole family well-being program and the fairer future partnerships and whole family support early adopter areas from 2027 has been received positively from our delivery partners across the whole family support system. Literacy plays a foundational and a lifelong role in learning, well-being, and tackling poverty. And this is why the Scottish government has had a long-standing commitment to sustain and enhance literacy from children's earliest years and throughout their school education. Um, presiding officer, I will I know time is up, so in closing, I will say despite the challenges that we currently face, Scottish government's action is already making a real difference to families across Scotland. And we know that relative p poverty in Scotland is 6% lower than the rest of the UK. And we will do what we do need to do presiding officer to um ensure that child poverty is eradicated in Scotland. >> Thank you. That concludes a debate on program for government eradicating child poverty the Scottish government's defining mission. Now, I'd like to remind all members who have an opening speech in a debate that they must also be in the chamber for closing speeches. I'm very disappointed that someone who spoke uh in the opening debate part of this debate is not even here at this stage, never mind at start. So, I would expect that person to provide an explanation for me at the earliest possible opportunity. Moving on.